YouTube is working on a redesigned version of its app for smart TVs that could resemble Netflix, according to a report. The Alphabet-owned video streaming platform will reportedly put paid content from other services on its home page, allowing users to discover them easily. Amazon’s Prime Video lets users see content from third-party services and purchase a subscription inside the app. YouTube already offers access to ad-free video streaming on various platforms, while US customers can also pay to watch TV channels on the platform.
YouTube to Spotlight Paid Content From Third Party Streaming Platforms
A report from The Information (via The Verge) reveals that YouTube is working on a major redesign of its app for smart TVs. The layout of the new app would appear similar to popular streaming services like Netflix and Disney+, according to the publication.
It’s worth noting that Alphabet’s video streaming platform already lets users subscriber to third-party streaming services via the Movies and TV tab on the YouTube app for smart TVs. These Primetime Channels include Max, Paramount+, and anime streaming service Cruncyroll, but it has been a while since YouTube has introduced a new third-party service.
On the other hand, Prime Video surfaces these external services (including Apple TV+) in various parts of the app, including the home page. Users can subscribe to these platforms from the app, and YouTube is reportedly attempting to replicate the same system.
Kurt Wilms, Senior Director of Product Management at YouTube, told The Information that the app will offer a seamless view that shows content from YouTube creators and third party content. “The vision is that when you come to our app and you’re looking for a show, it’ll just blend away whether that show is from a Primetime Channel or that show is from a creator,” he told the publication.
Users will reportedly see teasers for third party content on the home screen when they open the YouTube app, and these include autoplaying previews. While the company has yet to officially announce plans to launch a redesigned interface for its smart TV app, the report states that it will arrive in the “next few months”.
